The present invention has arisen from the need to provide safe, reliable and easily operated mechanisms for the loading and unloading of a variety of cargo into and out of an aircraft such as a military helicopter; to provide adequate lateral, vertical and fore and aft restraint of the cargo within the aircraft, and to provide control means which permit selective operation of the restraint mechanisms in a variety of modes as conditions may require. The present cargo handling system is specifically designed for use in the CH-53 military helicopter, but it will be apparent that the system may be used in other aircraft as well. U.S. Pat. No. 3,335,983 discloses a cargo loading system of the general type disclosed herein and is the principal prior art known.